


Taste of Home

by Maverick



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 12:42:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/pseuds/Maverick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes you just need a tuna sandwich.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taste of Home

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to **cheights** for being the best damn beta in any universe.
> 
> Dedicated to **kitestringer** because without her expert pimping, I never would have fallen for the woobie and his erect-haired friend. 

The clamoring from the kitchen made John grab his P90 and silently cross the cafeteria to the double-hinged doors separating it from the mess hall. The majority of the Wraith had been neutralized, but one Wraith left in the city was still too damn many. He slid up next to the door and peered through the small window. He wouldn't have been able to stop the smile that spread across his face if he wanted to. No Wraith inside. Just McKay doing some serious damage to an industrial sized mayonnaise jar. He stood and watched as Rodney flopped the scoop of mayo down on top of a bowl filled with what looked like tuna fish. Picking up the large wooden spoon, he folded the mayonnaise into the tuna, stopping every once in a while to lick the remnants off his thumb.  
  
Rodney looked like he hadn't slept for days, which of course he hadn't. His hair was standing on end, almost as proud as John's, his face was covered with heavy stubble and he looked rumpled and worn down in ways that made John ache. Sure, John has nearly sacrificed himself to try and save Atlantis, but Rodney...God Rodney had been through so much more.  
  
A cupboard slamming shut brought John back to the present. Yes, Rodney had been to hell and back, but his tired blue eyes were focused on his task at hand just as they always were. There was something very comforting about seeing Rodney make a sandwich with the same intense energy that he built nuclear bombs or fixed ancient shields. It was a constant that John was really happy to be around to witness once more.  
  
He took a deep breath and pushed through the swinging door. Startled, Rodney raised the spoon as if it was a weapon. John raised his eyebrow and smiled. While his own mother had wielded a wooden spoon as efficient and deadly as Teyla did her sticks, he didn't see it as an effective option against the Wraith. But he raised his hands in surrender anyway.  
  
"No need to get violent McKay, I promise I'm not here to separate you from your sandwich."  
  
Rodney sat the spoon down and went back to spreading the tuna salad on the bread in front of him. "Well, if it isn't Captain Kamikaze back from his suicide mission."  
  
"That's Major Kamikaze, Rodney. Or did I get demoted while I was gone?"  
  
Rodney smooshed the top piece of bread down onto the tuna and bussed the metal bowl and spoon to the sink. Reaching over, he picked up his sandwich. "I wouldn't know. I've been a little busy." Taking a bite, he chewed and talked at the same time. "Saving the city and all," he said waving his hand.  
  
John leaned up against the side of the sink. "Great job with the shields by the way. I knew you could do it."  
  
Rodney clutched his free hand to his chest. "Your heartfelt thanks makes it all worth it Major. Of course your faith in me might have meant more before you decided to strap yourself to the nuke and ride on into the hiveship. Very Dr. Strangelove of you. Really, it's too bad you left your cowboy hat back on Earth." He took another bite of his sandwich and chewed loudly.  
  
"It was the right thing to do. What needed to be done."  
  
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Rodney cocked his head, a sarcastic set to his jaw. "Yeah, I can see that. I'm sure doing what was *right* would have been such a comfort to you when you were dead. Complete disintegration would probably be less painful then what was in store for the rest of us."  
  
John had thought Rodney would understand. Of course, he would have fought him before he left, tried to talk him out of it, but in the end, he would understand. "I did it to save you. To save Atlantis. It was our only option."  
  
Rodney took another bite of his sandwich and waved both hands around, tunafish plopping to the floor. "Yes, you were sooooo heroic, Major. I'm sure you'll get some sort of shiny metal for your trouble."  
  
"What is your problem, McKay?" He knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Sucking in a breath, he was forced to watch a mosaic of emotions wash over Rodney's face. Hurt, anger, fear. Everything he must have been swallowing down over the last few days in order to get the job done.  
  
Rodney opened his mouth to speak and shut it again. He tossed the rest of his sandwich in the garbage and stepped around John. "So long, Major," he drawled, sarcasm heavier on his breath than the tuna he just ate.  
  
John grabbed Rodney's forearm. "Rodney, wait."  
  
Rodney stopped moving, but John didn't release his arm. "For what? So you can tell me all about duty and honor. About how taking one for the team is your job."  
  
John unconsciously stroked his thumb across the inside of Rodney's wrist. "Well, it is."  
  
Rodney pulled his arm away. "As I said, so long Major."  
  
John stepped around the other man, blocking the exit. "Would you have done any different? You died in that other time line. You drowned while trying to save the rest of us."  
  
Folding his arms across his chest, Rodney sighed. "Yes, well I can't really be held responsible for some misguided heroic notions that another version of myself might have acted upon."  
  
"What about the Wraith today."  
  
Rodney's eyes dilated. "What?"  
  
"Teyla said you faced down two of them when your security detail got stunned."  
  
"Oh yes, it was a shining moment for me. There I was ZedPM literally in my hands, and I couldn't even keep the clip in my gun. My finest hour, indeed."  
  
John reached out and squeezed Rodney's shoulder. "Teyla said you were very brave."  
  
Rodney snorted. "Teyla seems to confuse bravery with frustrated stupidity. A trait I think she picked up from you."  
  
John smiled. That was the McKay he knew and loved. He'd never been so happy to be insulted in his life. And of course, he could give as good as he got. "Knock it off. You saved the city, Rodney. You saved Atlantis."  
  
"Yes. Yes I did. Which is why I'm just going to leave those dirty dishes in the sink. I've done enough for one day don't you think?"  
  
"I don't think anyone will complain." Things were going to be okay. John knew that now, but he couldn't just leave it there. He owed Rodney more than that. And he really did want him to understand. "You know it's kinda your fault, I took off like I did."  
  
Rodney looked like he'd been slapped. "I'm sorry I couldn't get the generators to work on the chair. If you'd just given me a few more seconds." When he met John's eyes, he looked ashamed.  
  
And John finally got it. Why his decision to take the jumper had upset Rodney so much. He blamed himself. For someone so smart, sometimes McKay was really, really dumb. John reached out once more, his hand on Rodney's nape. "Shit. That's not what I meant. My taking the jumper was my decision. One that I don't regret. But it wasn't your fault."  
  
"Then what are you talking about?" Rodney asked with a heavy sigh.  
  
John could see that Rodney was close to passing out. It was like all the nervous energy and fear that had been driving him had finally run to empty. "Come on, I'll tell you as I walk you back to your quarters."  
  
"I'm perfectly capable of getting to my room."  
  
John nudged Rodney into the transport. "I'm well aware of that. But, I figured you could save me from any Wraith that are left."  
  
Rodney just rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hey, should we go back and get the wooden spoon?"  
  
"Very funny, Major. You were going to explain how it was my fault that you pulled a Dr. Strangelove."  
  
Stepping out of the transport in the living quarters, John walked Rodney down the corridor to his room. "You see when things get bad, when I don't see that there's an option or an out, I ask myself one question."  
  
"And this has to do with me how?"  
  
"That's not the question, now sssh?" John smiled and followed Rodney into his room. "So I ask myself one question. I say, 'Okay, what would McKay do?'"  
  
"Really?"  
  
John nodded yes. "Really. And usually, I come up with a good idea."  
  
Rodney nodded in return. "I can see that. I mean if you're going to idolize someone, I'm a good choice. Although, you've got it wrong in this instance."  
  
John leaned back against the door. "Who said anything about idolizing. I just said, I asked myself a question."  
  
"I understand that you're in denial Major. And that's okay. It must be tough to come to terms with the cold hard truth that you live to emulate me. But that's neither here nor there because as I said, you were way off base in this instance."  
  
John cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really?"  
  
"Yes really," Rodney said, finally sitting down on his bed. "You seemed to have forgotten one of the fundamental rules of Dr. Rodney McKay. And that is self-preservation above all else. I would never sacrifice myself that way. I have a much too high opinion of myself to ever do something so monumentally foolhardy."  
  
John smiled. Rodney did that every damn day and they both knew it. "I could stay here and argue that point, but you've had a rough day, so I'll let you get some rest."  
  
Rodney kicked off his boots and settled on the bed, a yawn distorting his words. "Good idea. Thank you. Wake me up in about a week all right. Get the lights as you leave."  
  
"Sure thing Rodney. Sweet dreams," John said toning the lights down.  
  
Rodney raised his head from his pillow. "Hey John."  
  
It was rare when Rodney used his first name. John realized he kind of liked it. "Yeah, Rodney."  
  
"In case, I wasn't clear earlier. I am glad you're not dead."  
  
John nodded and smiled in the darkened room. "Thanks, I'm kinda glad myself."  
  
Plumping his pillow, Rodney laid back down. "I mean the hassle of training a new team leader is more than I'm up to right now. I mean you have your shortcomings, but overall you're not bad. Well except for your hair."  
  
"My hair?"  
  
"Gottcha. You know, you really are too easy to bait."  
  
John could feel Rodney's smile even though he couldn't see it. And he felt his own laughter before he heard it. It felt strange to have something to laugh about so soon after almost dying. He was glad he was sharing it with McKay. "Goodnight Rodney."  
  
"You too. And welcome home."  
  
John caught himself smiling as he walked back to the control room to find out the status on the rest of the city. He was home. Somehow sniping with Rodney was just the welcome mat he needed to drive that point, well... home.  
  
  



End file.
